Combination back-up and tail light



June 25, 1935. G. sPEEG COMBINATION BACK UP AND TAIL LIGHT Filed Nov. 20, 1933 Ii'g L 34 as I.1 g 5 INVENTOR GEORGE 'SPEEG.

ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 2,005,761

COMBINATION BACK-Ur ANDY Tan; LIGHT George Speeg, Hartwell, Ohio Application November 20, 1933, Serial No. 698,'793

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved tail light for automobiles and more particularly to a combination light having the normal purpose of serving as a warning to approaching vehicles, and it is also provided with means for throwing a path of light across the rear of the car for illuminating the highway when it is desired to back-up the car.

Under present conditions a great number of vehicles are being equipped with dual tail lights, that is, one mounted on each or the rear fenders to create a balanced design to the vehicle and also to act as a warning to vehicles approaching from the rear as to the approximate width of the vehicle.

It is the object of my invention to provide one of the rear lights with means for throwing rays of light to the rear and across the path of the car. A further object is to provide means under normal operation of the car to create a signal or warning to approaching vehicles. A further object is to provide a lens for the lamp having vertical prisms on its inner face for reflecting the light in an angular relation from the lens. A further object is to coat one face of the prism with a pigment, preferably red, whereby viewing the lamp from the rear a red glow will be apparent. A further object is to provide a reflector for one of the lamps extending over the other lamp and provided with perforations adjacent the last named lamp.

My invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims and from the drawing, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with my improved lamp attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the lamp lens partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the lamp taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail section of the lens taken in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circult.

Motor vehicles are usually provided with a tail light ll mounted on the left rear fender for warning approaching vehicles and also to illuminate the usual license plate on the vehicle. My invention contemplates a second lamp mounted on the right rear fender and indicated generally at 12. This lamp comprises a housing I3 having a flat rear face suitably secured to a supporting bracket 14 which in turn is suitably bolted or riveted to the fender of the vehicle I5. Within the housing l3 are a pair of lamp receiving with the sockets l6 and ll reception of light bulbs l8 bulb I9 is preferably coated 29. extends about the bulb from the bulb l8. This reflector suitably fixed thereto for the and IS. with a red pigment A reflector 2! is clamped to the housing and I8 for reflecting the light The light is formed to extend over the bulb l9 and is provided with a plurality of perforations 22 to permit the light from the bulb 23 is provided for the I9 to shine therethrough. A lens lamp and is suitably clamped to the housing by means of a ring 24 with suitable gaskets 25 and 26 interposed between the lens and the ring and the lens and the housing.

I prefer to have this tinted glass. This ring may lens formed of a yellow be suitably secured to the housing by means of threaded screws 21 received through the ring and threaded intothe housing.

A lens 3!! is received in an opening 3| in the lower portion of the lamp for permitting light rays from the bulb l9 to project downwardly to illuminate any desired information plate that may be mounted therebelow. The light bulb I9 is suitably wired to the usual tail light'circuit and remains illuminated the entire light circuit is closed. A separate vided for the bulb only when it is illuminate the the path of the car time that the tail switch is pro- I8 for illuminating the bulb, desired to reverse the car and to highway to the rear and across when it is desired to back-up the vehicle. The lens 23 is provided with a plurality of parallel vertical prisms 32 having one face thereof coated with by the rays of light from the bulb l9 operation of the vehicle will create the rear of the vehicle a red pigment 33 whereunder normal a red glow to serving as a tail light and warning to vehicles approaching from the rear. The faces of these prisms are formed at approximately 2. '70 degree angle and with the prism a tinted yellow,

the face 34 of the light rays from the bulb l8 contacting this angular face project the light to the rear and across vehicle as indicated at 35 in Fig. l.

the path of the The light rays contacting the red surface which may be coated the path aluminum paint will reflect some of the light back against the reflector and 34. The bulb candle power will proof the vehicle in aiding the driver in backing the vehicle after dark.

In the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 5 the normal tail light switch is indicated at 36 and a special switch for the It will be apparent from the light bulb I8 is indicated at 3T.

foregoing description that I have devised a practical and improved lamp for the double purpose of acting as a tail light and also to provide strong light with the rays direct across the path of the vehicle for aiding in backing the vehicle after dark.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: V

1. A tail light comprising a housing, a pair of lamp receiving sockets in said housing, lamps in said sockets, a reflector for one of said lamps extending over the other lamp, perforations in said reflector adjacent to said last named lamp, said last named lamp coated with a red pigment and a lens secured to the face of said housing being provided with vertical prisms having one face thereof coated with a red pigment and the other face of said prisms projecting the rays of light in a. horizontal angular direction.

2. A tail light comprising a housing, a pair of lamp receiving sockets in said housing, lamps in said sockets, a reflector for one of said lamps extending over the other lamp, perforations in said reflector adjacent to said last named lamp, and a lens secured to the face of said housing being provided with vertical prisms having one face of each prism coated with a red pigment and the other face of said prisms projecting the rays of light in a horizontal angular direction.

GEORGE SPEEG. l6 

